John Nelms has chosen the last couple of weeks to bring Dundee’s proposed new stadium back on the agenda.
A lot has been said – and written – but I can’t say that I’m any nearer to thinking it will end up being built.
There are so many problems.
Even if planning permission gets granted, you could hardly have picked a worse time to get involved in a huge construction project like this.
The cost of concrete and steel has gone through the roof.
And who is going to own it in the end?
There aren’t many fans who would be comfortable with it being anybody other than the club itself.
The idea of Dundee playing football in a new stadium by 2024 seems totally unrealistic to me.
We are excited to issue a club update and reveal new animations that show the stadium development at Camperdown #thedee
➡️ https://t.co/TKqsQN6MgW pic.twitter.com/GvHaB43zAv
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) March 24, 2022
My fear would be that this drags on for a few more years and then if it doesn’t happen, Dens Park will have been allowed to deteriorate.
More focus should be put on enhancing the match day experience at the ground they’ve got – and the team that is on the park.
Most of the fans I speak to are disillusioned and I don’t think the last week has changed that.
I’d like to send my congratulations to Kelty Hearts.
It’s been clear for a long time that the SPFL new boys were heading towards the League Two title but that doesn’t diminish the achievement.
We played them in the League Cup way back in July and you could tell then that Kelty had a strong, well-balanced squad.
Kevin Thomson has done a great job to win the league so early and the story of young Max Kucheriavyi, whose family are in Ukraine, getting the goal that settled it is a brilliant one.
🏆 The goal that clinched the title…
Max Kucheriavyi with a bullet header! #cinchL2 | @KeltyHeartsFC pic.twitter.com/hUFCHGVFGF
— SPFL (@spfl) March 28, 2022
He played in a bounce game against us a few months ago and you could see he was a young player with real talent.
I don’t think there’s a huge gap between the standard of League Two and League One.
And it wouldn’t surprise me to see Kelty contending to make it back to back championships.
Steve Clarke is doing a fantastic job with Scotland.
And he came close to making it two wins over the last few days rather than two draws.
I do think he missed a trick by not giving Zander Clark or Liam Kelly (or both) some game-time, though.
You don’t get many international friendlies these days and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to have a look at a younger keeper.
A meaningless friendly & still @Zanderr1 & Liam Kelly snubbed. 🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/O7oahybAbU
— Colin McCredie (@colinmccredie) March 29, 2022
He did it with outfield players like Lewis Ferguson and Aaron Hickey, so why not in goal?
Steve knows what he’s going to get from Craig Gordon and David Marshall but, even though the World Cup play-offs are rightly his main focus, he needs to have an eye on who is going to replace them when they retire or get injured.
It will not surprise you that I’m going to tip Celtic as winners of this weekend’s Old Firm game.
A draw would probably be fine for them – and a lot of fans would maybe take that now if you offered it.
But Ange Postecoglou will sense that his team is in form and this is an opportunity to take an even bigger step towards the title.
It’s a narrow Celtic victory for me.
